Celtic have been linked with a move for the talented Aberdeen star.
Davie Hay has told The Glasgow Evening Times that Jonny Hayes could be as influential for Celtic next season as Scott Sinclair was last term.
The Irish winger is heavily linked with a £1.2 million move (The Mail) to Celtic from Aberdeen.
If it goes through then it will see the 29-year-old reunited with Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers after the duo previously worked together at Reading.
The Northern Irish manager brought Sinclair to Glasgow last summer, having worked with him at Swansea, and the ex-Aston Villa ace netted 25 times in helping the Bhoys to a domestic treble last season.
And Hay has suggested that the winger could scale “similar” heights under Rodgers.
“Jonny Hayes has been linked with a move to Celtic and what you would have to say is that of the players Brendan Rodgers brought to the club a year ago, the likes of Scott Sinclair flourished under him,” he told The GET.
“Rodgers had worked with Sinclair before in his career and it could be a similar thing with Hayes. The Irish international is about to turn 30 but that is not too bad – he will still have a few good seasons in him.
“With Patrick Roberts looking as though he will head back to Manchester City then you can understand why Hayes would be seen as a versatile fit to play on the flank, with James Forrest there too.”
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